One of my favourite parts of the festive season is the glorious array of sweets and desserts that are offered at the end of the sumptuous holiday meal.
As a young child I always marvelled that wonderful scene in the beloved 1951 production of A Christmas Carol (with Alastair Sim, of course), when Mrs. Crachit brings to the dining table a flaming plum pudding. “Wow, a flaming cake”, I thought to myself, “how cool is that?”
I still remember the first time I ever tried this traditional holiday dessert. I was quite unimpressed, especially finding out that it was a heavy, suet-laden dense “cake” steamed and enrobed with a rich, buttery rum or brandy sauce. I was more impressed with the booze-laden sauce than the heavy dessert, especially right after eating what seemed a heavy meal. Still to this day, it’s not on the top of my holiday desserts bucket list.
In our Asian family household, we grew up having a westernized Christmas meal of the ubiquitous turkey and stuffing, along with added Asian fare of barbecued duck, roast pork, noodles, and glutinous rice, but ate lighter desserts — usually trifles layered with delicate custard and soft sponge cake, and an array of shortbreads and miniature tarts. As important as a holiday meal is, dessert is the course that family and guests usually remember.
This year, I’ve asked several of Vancouver’s top pastry chefs and bakeries to showcase a special holiday dessert.
From the always exuberant and talented Thomas Haas comes a brilliant and colourful Holiday Parfait with layers of caramelized pears, delicate vanilla cream, cranberry compote, a buttery ginger streusel and cinnamon flavoured whipped cream.
From Cadeaux Bakery, Eleanor Chow and Slavita Johnson have the ever popular favourite, Crème Caramel with a holiday twist of infused spices.
Busy Robson Street’s Cin Cin Ristorante + Bar’s brilliant Christophe Bonzon has given us his festive Buche de Noel, or Yule Log, with a sublime hazelnut filling and buttercream while Chambar’s Celeste Mah has presented a colourful plate of a vanilla panna cotta, garnished with orange marmalade, shared with a gingersnap cookie filled with a white chocolate and pumpkin ganache and, if that’s not enough, a scoop of pumpkin ice cream.
For chocoholics, there’s a rich and decadent Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Pie from Rose Concepcion and Thuy Kelp’s West Point Grey’s MIX the Bakery, and for those traditionalists, a quince trifle from a true Englishman with a Spanish tapas restaurant, Neil Taylor and his new Espana.
They’re all decadent desserts, but it’s the festive season.
Wishing you all a wonderful and safe festive season, from my busy kitchen to yours, Happy Holidays.
Holiday Dessert Parfait
From Pastry Chef/Owner Thomas Haas, Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates & Patisserie.
Although Thomas is renowned for his superb chocolates, cakes and pastries, he has designed this special holiday dessert parfait showcasing caramelized pears layered with a simple custard, a ruby red, tart cranberry compote, cinnamon-infused whipped cream and a crunchy buttery ginger streusel.
Caramelized Pears
4 medium ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears
2 cups (500 mL) sugar
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) warm water
3/4 cup (180 mL) fresh calamansi or lime juice
2 vanilla beans, split
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
Peel, cut in half and core the pears.
Heat a wide, shallow saucepan over medium heat. When hot, sprinkle the sugar onto the bottom. Heat until the sugar starts to caramelize into a light golden brown. Slowly stir the warm water in with a wooden spoon (Be careful, add the warm water in small amounts to avoid splattering). Stir until well mixed and smooth. Slowly stir in the lime juice, vanilla beans, cinnamon stick and the clove. Place pears carefully into poaching liquid and cover with parchment paper. Simmer until tender or easy to pierce with a knife all the way into the center. Remove from heat and refrigerate the pears in the sugar syrup overnight, covered.
Tahitian vanilla cream
2 cups (500 mL) homogenized milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar
2 Tablespoons (30 mL) cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Combine yolks, sugar, cornstarch, the scraped beans from the vanilla pod and ½ cup (125ml) of the milk using a whisk.
Bring the remaining 1-1/2 cups milk and the split vanilla pod to a boil over medium-high heat.
Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg and cornstarch mixture. Return mixture into the saucepan and stir custard until it thickens and comes to a boil.
Once the custard thickens, turn down the heat to simmer and continue to whisk for another 30 seconds. Transfer custard into a fresh bowl and cover with saran wrap. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate.
Cranberry compote
1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen cranberries
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch (5mL)
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir well and bring to boiling point. Stir until it starts to thicken, lower heat an simmer for 5 minutes, or until cranberries start to soften and pop. Set aside, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
Ginger crumble
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground ginger
1 hard boiled egg
2/3 cup (160g) all-purpose flour
Beat sugar and butter in an electric mixer until smooth. Separate the hard yolk from the white, discarding the white, and finely grate or crumble into the butter mixture. Add the grated ginger, and ground ginger. Then gradually add flour until dough forms a crumble texture. Remove from mixing bowl and place crumble mixture on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F until golden. Remove and set aside to cool.
Cinnamon Chantilly
2/3 cup (160 mL) whipping cream
2 tablespoons (30 mL) icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) Ceylon cinnamon powder
Add everything to a chilled mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks.
To assemble:
Remove pears from syrup and drain. (The poaching syrup can be simmered down to make a great sauce for drizzling over ice cream or other desserts.) Cut into ¼-inch dice. To assemble layer pears, Tahitian vanilla cream, cranberry compote and Chantilly as desired. Finish with the fresh, crunchy crumbles and a small portion of the cranberry compote. Serve immediately.
Serves 8
Spiced Crème Caramel
From Eleanor Chow Waterfall and Slavita Johnson of Cadeaux Bakery.
Located in the Downtown Eastside, Eleanor Chow and her business partner Slavita Johnson opened this oasis of all things sweet and delicious last year. They’ve created the always popular and comforting crème caramel with a twist of infused holiday spices. You will need 4 x 1 cup (250 mL) ramekins.
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar for caramel
2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon (7 mL) nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (7 mL) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cloves
zest of 1 orange
5 eggs
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
To make caramel, heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle a little bit of the sugar in the saucepan. Once the sugar becomes a clear liquid sprinkle a little more sugar in the pot and stir until it becomes clear. Continue until you have no more sugar left. The caramel will start changing to a yellowish colour. If the caramel is burning fast and turning a dark brown turn the heat down.
Once the caramel is clear and golden brown remove from heat and pour evenly into the ramekins. Let them cool and harden at room temperature. This should only take a few minutes.
Heat oven to 300 F (150 C).
Place milk, spices, and orange zest in a medium-size saucepan and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil. In a large bowl beat eggs and sugar together. Pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper. Mix until combined and then stir in the rest of the hot milk. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to strain. Then pour the mixture evenly into the 4 ramekins.
Place the ramekins into a deep tray. Pour water into the tray until half way up the sides of the ramekins. Place in oven and bake for 25-35 minutes. Give the ramekin a little shake and when it’s ready there will be a consistent jiggle all the way through, similar to that of jello.
Once finished baking, let the crème caramels cool and put in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, covered with plastic wrap. For best results keep for 24 hours in the fridge and the caramel at the bottom of the ramekin will melt and there will be more sauce.
For serving, gently place a small knife down the side of the ramekin and run it along the entire outside of the pudding. Give it a little shake, then place a plate over the top and very gently turn over and the crème caramel should release.
Serves 4
Hazelnut Christmas Log
From Executive Pastry Chef Christophe Bonzon of Cin Cin Ristorante + Bar.
One of my favourite holiday desserts I’ve made over the years is a Buche de Noel enrobed with chocolate ganache. Cin Cin’s talented Christophe Bonzon has created his festive (and lighter) version with a delicate hazelnut filling covered with a light hazelnut buttercream.
Hazelnut filling
(make a day before)
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream
1/2 gelatin sheet
1/3 cup (80 mL) hazelnut paste, 50 per cent
1/4 pound (125g) Ghana milk chocolate, 40 per cent, chopped, melted
In a saucepan bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Add in the gelatin and stir until melted. In a small bowl using an electric mixer, slowly combine the cream with the hazelnut paste and melted milk chocolate. Once incorporated, place in a piping bag fitted with 1” tube, roll it tight, sealing the bag well, and chill overnight.
Cinnamon Cream
(make a day before)
3 Tablespoons (45 mL) heavy cream
1 Tablespoon (15 mL) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons (30 mL) amaretto
1/4 cup (60 mL) white chocolate, finely chopped, melted
1/4 cup (60ml) cold heavy cream
In a small saucepan mix together the cream, cinnamon, sugar and 1 Tablespoon (15 mL) of the amaretto and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and mix in the melted white chocolate to make a ganache. Once it’s mixed well, slowly pour in the cold cream and remaining amaretto. Stir well to mix with a spatula. Cover and let rest overnight to thicken.
Log Sponge
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
1/3 cup (80 mL) almond paste, 50 per cent
3 egg whites
3/4 cup (180 mL) all-purpose white flour
Preheat oven to 350F (170C). Whisk eggs and sugar in small bowl until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond paste with one egg white, then add to the egg mixture. In the meantime, whisk the other two remaining egg whites in a small mixer to a soft peak, then slowly mix in the flour. Finish by slowly incorporating the hazelnut mixture to the flour mixture. Spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thickness, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Hazelnut Buttercream
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup (60 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
1 pound (500g) butter
1/2 cup (100g) hazelnut paste, 50 per cent
Whisk the eggs and yolks in a mixer on medium speed. Heat the sugar and water in saucepan to 225 F (120 C) and until sugar has dissolved. On high speed, incorporate the heated syrup with the eggs until light and fluffy. Once cooled, while the mixer is still beating, slowly add the soft butter in stages, on medium speed. When well incorporated, beat in the hazelnut paste at room temperature and mix until well. Set aside.
To assemble:
Cut the sponge in a rectangle shape, 20 x 8 inches. Spread a 1/2-inch (1 cm) layer of buttercream on the sponge. Pipe out the hazelnut filling on the long side of the sponge and roll it tightly, carefully removing the parchment paper backing as you roll. Freeze the roll for 15 to 20 minutes to harden. Spread a layer of buttercream around the rolled sponge, brushing lengthwise. Harden in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
To serve, cut into 3/4-inch slices, and spread a thin layer of butter cream on top of each piece. Brush 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of cinnamon cream on the plate, and stack your log slices on top. Garnish with chocolate flakes.
Serves 8
Quince Trifle Parfaits
From Chef/Owner Neil Taylor of Espana.
Besides plum pudding, a trifle is the quintessential dessert for a traditional English Christmas meal. Light and delicate, I was surprised to see trifle (ever changing depending on the season) as a dessert offering at Neil Taylor’s new Spanish tapas bar Espana. He is an Englishman after all …
Sponge cake
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cups (160 mL) berry sugar
1 cup (250 mL) sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (3 mL) baking powder
Whip the egg whites in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, keep aside. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick and pale. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Fold half the eggs whites into yolk mixture. Now fold in the flour/baking powder into the yolk and white mixture and fold in the remaining egg whites. Bake on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray at 350F (170C) for 10 to 12 mins or until golden brown and cooked through but still soft and moist. Remove and set aside to cool.
Trifle cream
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream
1/2 vanilla pod, scraped of its seeds
1/3 cup (80 mL) Greek yogurt
1 1/2 Tablespoon (22 mL) icing sugar
In a bowl whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until you reach soft peak stage, fold in the Greek yogurt and put into a piping bag. Set aside in the fridge.
1/2 cup (125 mL) quince jam
1 cup (250 mL) medium dry sherry
To assemble
Cut 16 circles slightly smaller than the glass you are using to build the trifle in and soak each one in 1 tablespoon of the sherry. Set aside. In each glass pipe a layer of the trifle cream into the bottom, gently tap the glass down to make the cream level out. Top the cream with a layer of the quince jam, and gently tap the glass down again as before. Next put a circle of the soaked sponge into each glass. Repeat the whole process one more time and finally finish with a generous amount of cream and smooth out the top layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow all the flavours to come together.
Serves 8
Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Pie
From MIX the Bakery pastry chefs/owners Rose Concepcion and Thuy Kelp.
This rich and decadent, yet light dessert is perfect for chocoholics. Concepcion and Kelp have created this “pie” featuring a light and airy semi-sweet chocolate mousse infused with peppermint schnapps on a chocolate crumb crust.
Crust
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, melted
Combine together in a small bowl and press in a 9-inch pie shell. Chill to set.
Chocolate Peppermint Mousse
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/3 cup (80 mL) strong brewed coffee
3 Tablespoons (45 mL) Peppermint Schnapps
4 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
3 Tablespoons (45 mL) sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) heavy cream, whipped soft
1/4 cup (60 mL) dark chocolate peppermint candies, coarsely chopped
Decoration
2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream, whipped stiff
2 Tablespoons (30 mL) sugar
1 Tablespoon (15 mL) Peppermint Schnapps
Dark chocolate peppermint candies, chopped
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine melted chocolate, coffee and schnapps. Whisk together until smooth, adding egg yolks to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, whip egg whites on high speed adding sugar gradually until mixture is a soft meringue. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, being careful not to deflate the meringue. Fold in the whipped cream along with the chopped chocolate peppermint pieces, just to blend. Turn mixture out into the prepared cookie crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Chill in refrigerator until set. Whip the heavy cream along with the sugar and schnapps until stiff. Decorate the edges of the pie or spoon alongside for garnish.
Serves 8
Vancouver chefs share their recipes for holiday desserts.
Kicker:
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Orange Marmalade, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream and Gingersnap Cookies
From pastry chef Celeste Mah of Chambar.
Chambar’s enthusiastic and talented Celeste Mah has created this holiday dessert with a variety of colours, textures and flavours, from a delicate vanilla panna cotta spiked with an orange marmalade, a gingersnap sandwich cookie filled with a white chocolate and pumpkin ganache, topped off with a lightly spiced pumpkin ice cream. Although there are many elements for this festive dessert, you can easily make one or all of them.
Vanilla Panna Cotta
7 sheets of gelatin
2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream
2 cups (500 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1 vanilla bean
Soak gelatin in cold water and set aside until soft. In a saucepan heat the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean just until it is about to boil. Take off heat, squeeze all the water from the gelatin and add to the hot mixture. Stir until the gelatin is well dissolved and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Pour into eight 1/2-cup (125 mL) ramekins, cover with saran wrap avoiding touching the surface and put in the fridge until ready to use.
Orange Marmalade
10 oranges
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
Zest the oranges into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and strain out the liquid, reserving the blanched zest. Meanwhile, cut and remove the pith off the oranges. Cut the oranges into chunks, removing the seeds and place them into the pot. Add the sugar and vanilla bean and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer and cook until desired thickness. Remove from heat, cover and set aside until cool.
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) homogenized milk
1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream
1 small thumb of ginger (peeled and crushed)
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cloves
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
1 vanilla bean, split
5 large yolks
1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (180 mL) pumpkin purée
Place the milk, cream, spices, salt and vanilla in a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl whisk the yolks and sugar together. Slowly whisk in a third of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture. Stir in the egg mixture back into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Reduce heat down to medium and continue cooking while constantly stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until it coats the back of the spoon or spatula. Remove from heat and whisk in the pumpkin purée. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, cover and refrigerate. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions of your ice cream machine.
Gingersnap Cookies
1 cup (250 mL) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 mL) molasses
2 teaspoon (10 mL) baking soda
2 tablespoon (30 mL) hot water
3 cups (750 mL) flour
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cloves
1 large thumb fresh ginger grated
Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. In a larger mixing bowl combine the molasses, baking soda and hot water. This will foam up quite a bit. In a separate bowl combine the flour, spices and grated ginger. Alternately add the liquids and dry ingredients ending with the liquids. Scoop or roll out and cut to desired size and shape. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 F (170 C) for 12 mins. Let cool.
White Chocolate Ganache
10oz (280g) white chocolate
3 tablespoons (45 mL) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons (30 mL) glucose or corn syrup
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon (3 mL) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cinnamon
Place the white chocolate and butter in a food processor and grind a bit. Add the rest of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. Slowly stream into the food processor so it processes and emulsifies the chocolate and butter. Blend until smooth. Put into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble:
Place a dollop of the Orange Marmalade on the Vanilla Panna Cotta. Pipe the White Chocolate Ganache onto the flat side of a Gingersnap and sandwich together with another Gingersnap. Continue until you have desired amount of sandwiches. Serve with a scoo
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